The IAAF, governing body of world athletics, said today that it is preparing a
“detailed response” to fresh allegations of widespread doping in the sport
and added that the data from which the allegations have surfaced had been
obtained without consent.
Data from the IAAF leaked
to The Sunday Times and ARD, the German broadcaster, suggests
that a third of medals in endurance events at the Olympics and world
championships between 2001 and 2012 were won by athletes with suspicious
blood values.
The cache contained more than 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 athletes; the haul
of medals includes 55 golds.
The IAAF released a statement in which it said that it was “aware of serious
allegations made against the integrity and competence of its anti-doping
programme” but added that the allegations “are largely based on analysis of
an IAAF data base of private and confidential medical data which has been
obtained without consent”.
The statement continued: “The IAAF is now preparing a detailed response to
both media outlets and will reserve the right to take any follow-up action
necessary to protect the rights of the IAAF and its athletes.”
Earlier, the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) expressed its alarm at reports
that appeared to show unprecedented levels of doping among athletes over the
past decade. The massive scale of the suspicious data, analysed by two
world-leading anti-doping experts, threatens to cast another pal

Hampshire’s game against Glamorgan at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff ended
abruptly with no result as the umpires abandoned the match during the
seventh over of the visiting team’s innings.
Glamorgan posted 182 for nine in their 50 overs, but Hampshire’s reply had
barely begun before both opening batsmen were hit on the head by deliveries
from Michael Hogan.
Michael Carberry, the former England opener, was hit on the helmet in the
first over, before Jimmy Adams, his partner, was also struck by the same
bowler.
Both captains, batsmen and bowler then discussed the issue of a deteriorating
pitch and Neil Mallender and Paul Baldwin, the umpires, called the game off.
“The one that hit me was pretty extreme,” Adams said. “One ball had slightly
gone up and hit Michael Carberry earlier and there were a couple in the
Glamorgan innings.”
Tony Pigott, the EC

The protracted transfer of Ángel Di María from Manchester United to Paris
Saint-Germain appears to be entering its endgame, with reports today
suggesting the clubs have agreed a fee of €63 million (£44.3 million).
Di María is due to hold talks with PSG officials in Doha and is expected to
undergo a medical with the French champions. If all goes to plan, he could
sign as early as tomorrow.
The transfer would force United to accept a loss of £15.4 million on the
27-year-old winger, who signed last August from Real Madrid for a British
record of £59.7 million.
But he made only 20 league starts last season, scoring three times, and could
not replicate the form that helped Argentina to the World Cup final a month
before joining United. He also reportedly fell out with Louis van Gaal but
turned down the manager’s overtures to give it another season at Ol